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I wanted to repeat a comment I made in the thread about Cory's talk - as I'd be interested in the answer. Many of today's printers, scanners and image editors

I wanted to repeat a comment I made in the thread about Cory's talk - as I'd be interested in the answer. Many of today's printers, scanners and image editors already ship with restrictions designed to prevent the counterfeiting of currency. In effect general-purpose digital imaging has already been restricted. What I wonder is how are these restrictions implemented, legally? Do laws or regulations require it? Or is it ad-hoc? Are OEM vendors persuaded or paid to implement it by the proprietors of the pattern matching technology (who in turn sell it to currency mints), or they concerned about vicarious liability if they don't? I'm interested because this may serve as a template for how other restrictions are implemented in future.

GigabyteCoin 15y ago
It's done today purely out of cost restrictions. Why build a printer that you can plug a monitor into, power some usb devices, and also connect a keyboard and mouse to? It would be entirely pointless and too expensive for a manufacturer to do that.
- Retric 15y ago
  Your missing his point. Printers have anti counter-fitting measures built in and it costs more money to build them that way. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/surveillance/2008-07-13-printer_N.htm http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/surveillance/2008-07-13-pr... It's mostly a non issue, but there are always edge cases. For example there is software that let's you print backup data that can latter be scanned in which was somewhat hampered by this technology. 600DPI * 600DPI * 24 bits * 8.5inch * 11 inch = ~100mb a page which is not all that amazing today, but still useful in the early 90's.
  - sliverstorm 15y ago
    I'm glad to hear someone else who isn't freaking out over it. You would not believe some of the tin foil hats that come out when discussing these measures.
  - finnw 15y ago
    > 100mb a page which is not all that amazing today 100mb is probably enough to hold all the code you will write in your lifetime.
njharman 15y ago
> template for how other restrictions are implemented in future. It is a template for what not to do. Counterfeitting still occurs. It only adds expense for manf., and invades privacy of people (probably the real reason governments push it, the anti-counterfeit is just a cover). Plus counterfeiting is already illegal. There are lots of laws against it. Punish the violators, not everyone else.
tedunangst 15y ago
MPAA ratings are not legally required for films, but most mainstream movies are and many theaters will only show rated films. Why? Because voluntary self regulation is less odious than mandatory government regulation.

GigabyteCoin 15y ago

It's done today purely out of cost restrictions. Why build a printer that you can plug a monitor into, power some usb devices, and also connect a keyboard and mouse to? It would be entirely pointless and too expensive for a manufacturer to do that.

Retric 15y ago
Your missing his point. Printers have anti counter-fitting measures built in and it costs more money to build them that way. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/surveillance/2008-07-13-printer_N.htm http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/surveillance/2008-07-13-pr... It's mostly a non issue, but there are always edge cases. For example there is software that let's you print backup data that can latter be scanned in which was somewhat hampered by this technology. 600DPI * 600DPI * 24 bits * 8.5inch * 11 inch = ~100mb a page which is not all that amazing today, but still useful in the early 90's.
- sliverstorm 15y ago
  I'm glad to hear someone else who isn't freaking out over it. You would not believe some of the tin foil hats that come out when discussing these measures.
- finnw 15y ago
  > 100mb a page which is not all that amazing today 100mb is probably enough to hold all the code you will write in your lifetime.

njharman 15y ago

> template for how other restrictions are implemented in future. It is a template for what not to do. Counterfeitting still occurs. It only adds expense for manf., and invades privacy of people (probably the real reason governments push it, the anti-counterfeit is just a cover). Plus counterfeiting is already illegal. There are lots of laws against it. Punish the violators, not everyone else.

tedunangst 15y ago

MPAA ratings are not legally required for films, but most mainstream movies are and many theaters will only show rated films. Why? Because voluntary self regulation is less odious than mandatory government regulation.